Western Wetland Flora

Field Office Guide to Plant Species

Wood-rush Sedge Carex lazulina Olney

Family: Sedge (Cyperaceae)

Flowering: May-July

Field Marks: The distinguishing features of this sedge are its flattened lanceoloid perigynia that have small teeth along the edges near the tip. There is usually a separate male spikelet above the female ones.

Habitat: Wet meadows, bogs, other moist areas.

Habit: Perennial herb with fibrous roots.

Stems: Upright, up to 2 feet tall, smooth.

Leaves: Elongated, nearly all crowded near the base of the plant and not longer than the flowering stems, up to 6 inches long, a little less than 1/2 inch wide, smooth.

Flowers: Borne in spikelets, with 2-6 spikelets not overlapping at the tip of the stem, the inflorescence subtended by a short bract; terminal spike usually male, up to 1 1/2 inches long: female spikes similar but a little thicker, up to 1 1/2 i

Scales: Lanceolate, brown, never longer than the perigynia, smooth or slightly hairy along the mid-vein.

Sepals: O.

Petals: O.

Stamens: 3.

Pistils: Enclosed in perigynia; each perigynium lanceoloid, up to 1/4 inch long, smooth or rarely with a few hairs when young flattened, ciliate and minutely toothed near the tip, tapering to a tiny beak; stigmas 3.